Lyon deny striker bid

Lyon have blasted reports suggesting that Arsenal have made an offer for Karim Benzema.

Benzema has become one of the most sought after strikers in Europe and speculation in the press had suggested that the Gunners had made an approach as doubts surround the future of Emmanuel Adebayor.

However, Lyon director of communications Olivier Blanc says that is not the case and insists nobody has made a bid.

"We have not received any official offer for Karim, either from Madrid, Manchester or Arsenal," he said in L'Equipe. "We had first contact with Real in the middle of last week.

"Anyway €32m (£27m) is not very realistic. If Madrid really made an offer, it would have been superior."